Combination vertical and lateral flow immunoassay device

Abstract

A system comprising one or more sample vessels is provided, the sample vessels comprising a liquid growth medium and a stirrer element, the stirrer element capable of being influenced by a magnetic force, and an incubation and measurement module comprising one or more openings for holding the one or more sample vessels. The incubation and measurement module further comprises at least two drive magnets associated with each of the sample vessels, and a magnet driver adapted to repeatedly move each of the at least two drive magnets toward and away from the surface of the associated sample vessel.

1 . A system comprising: 
 a plurality of sample vessels, the sample vessels comprising a liquid growth medium and a stirrer element, the stirrer element capable of being influenced by a magnetic force;    an incubation and measurement module comprising a plurality of openings for holding the sample vessels, and further comprising a number of drive magnets equal to at least twice the number of openings, wherein each of the openings is associated with at least two of the drive magnets; and    a magnet driver comprising a plurality of the drive magnets, adapted to repeatedly move each of the at least two drive magnets toward and away from the surface of an associated sample vessel when located in the associated opening, and wherein the openings are configured to hold the sample vessels such that the longitudinal axis of the vessels are at an angle of less than  90 ° with the horizontal.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein during operation of the magnet driver, the at least two drive magnets associated with one of the sample vessels move closest to the surface of the associated sample vessel at different points in time, and the movement of the at least two drive magnets imposes a magnetic influence on the stirrer element in the associated sample vessel to move the stirrer element.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein each of the one or more openings are associated with a set of first and second drive magnets; and wherein the magnet driver comprises: 
 a magnet shaft assembly comprising a shaft and the plurality of the drive magnets, and    a motor engaged with the shaft to rotate the magnet shaft assembly and move the plurality of drive magnets such that the first drive magnet is closest to the outer surface of the associated sample vessel and the second drive magnet is away from the outer surface of the associated sample vessel in a first rotational position, and the second drive magnet is closest to the outer surface of the associated sample vessel and the first drive magnet is away from the outer surface of the associated sample vessel in a second rotational position.    
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the magnet driver comprises: 
 a magnet shaft assembly comprising a shaft and the plurality of the drive magnets,    wherein the plurality of drive magnets are coupled to the shaft in pairs, the pairs being discreet components or are discreet parts of a single component or a combination thereof,    wherein the pairs comprise a first drive magnet coupled to and extending from the shaft at a first angle, and a second drive magnet coupled to and extending from the shaft at a second angle, and    wherein the first drive magnet is associated with a first of the one or more openings and the second drive magnet is associated with a second of the one or more openings adjacent to the first of the one or more openings.    
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second drive magnets extend from first and second locations on the shaft, respectively, and wherein the first and second locations are at approximately opposite sides of the shaft.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second rotational positions are approximately 180 degrees apart.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second angles are approximately 30 degrees.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the magnet shaft assembly is located in the module such that each of the drive magnet pairs is located between two of the sample vessel openings.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein upon operation of the magnet driver, the magnetic influence moves the stirrer element along a side wall of the sample vessel.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein upon operation of the magnet driver, the magnetic influence moves the stirrer element in an analemma pattern in the sample vessel.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the magnet driver and drive magnets are arranged such that, during a portion of the movement of the drive magnets, gravity moves the stirrer element toward a bottom of the sample vessel.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the angle is about 15° to about 25°.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sample vessels are elongated sample vials.  
   
   
       14 . A system comprising: 
 a plurality of sample vessels, the sample vessels comprising a liquid growth medium and a stirrer element, the stirrer element capable of being influenced by a magnetic force;    an incubation and measurement module comprising a plurality of openings for holding the one or more sample vessels, wherein each of the one or more openings is associated with at least two drive magnets, and    a magnet driver comprising a plurality of the drive magnets adapted to repeatedly move each of the at least two drive magnets toward and away from the surface of an associated sample vessel when located in the associated opening, the magnet driver comprising a magnet shaft assembly;    wherein the magnet shaft assembly comprises a shaft and a plurality of the drive magnets, and    wherein the plurality of drive magnets are coupled to the shaft in pairs, the pairs being discrete components or discrete parts of a single component, or a combination thereof,    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein upon operation of the magnet driver, the at least two drive magnets associated with one of the sample vessels move closest to the surface of the associated sample vessel at different points in time, and the movement of the at least two drive magnets imposes a magnetic influence on the stirrer element in the associated sample vessel to move the stirrer element.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the magnet driver further comprises: 
 a motor engaged with the shaft to rotate the magnet shaft assembly and move the drive magnets such that a first drive magnet is closest to the outer surface of the associated sample vessel and a second drive magnet is away from the outer surface of the associated sample vessel in a first rotational position, and the second drive magnet is closest to the outer surface of the associated sample vessel and the first drive magnet is away from the outer surface of the associated sample vessel in a second rotational position.    
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein each of the drive magnet pairs comprises: 
 a first drive magnet coupled to and extending from the shaft at a first angle, and a second drive magnet coupled to and extending from the shaft at a second angle,    wherein the first drive magnet is associated with a first of the one or more openings and the second drive magnet is associated with a second of the one or more openings adjacent to the first of the one or more openings.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second drive magnets extend from first and second locations on the shaft, respectively, and wherein the first and second locations are at approximately opposite sides of the shaft.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second rotational positions are approximately 180 degrees apart.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second angles are approximately 30 degrees.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the magnet shaft assembly is located in the module such that each of the drive magnet pair is located between two of the sample vessel openings.  
   
   
       22 . A method for stirring a sample, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a sample vessel comprising a liquid and a stirrer element capable of being influenced by a magnetic force;    tilting the vessel such that the longitudinal axis of the vessel is at an angle of less than 90° with the horizontal; and    providing at least two drive magnets configured to periodically impose a magnetic influence on the stirrer element.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of repeatedly moving the at least two drive magnets toward and away from an outer surface of the sample vessel.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of exerting the magnetic influence on the stirrer element from each of the at least two drive magnets at different points in time.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein each of the at least two drive magnets is moved closest to the surface of the sample vessel at different points in time.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of moving comprises: 
 moving a first drive magnet away from the outer surface of the sample vessel as a second drive magnet is moved toward the outer surface of the sample vessel.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the first and second drive magnets move toward and away from different locations on the outer surface of the sample vessel.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the magnetic influence moves the stirrer element along a side wall of the sample vessel.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein, during a portion of the moving, gravity moves the stirrer element toward the bottom of the sample vessel.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the magnetic influence moves the stirrer element in an analemma pattern.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the stirrer element is magnetized to between about 200 Gauss to about 400 Gauss.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the stirrer element is magnetized to about 300 Gauss.